08 Sep Wes and Jean Bell Take Stateside Role

After 34 years in Brazil, UB endorsed missionaries Wes and Jean Bell have accepted a Stateside role with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Wes will serve as an Application and Placement Specialist and Jean as Care and Recruitment Specialist. Before beginning those roles, they will work on raising their support level back up to 100%.

They write:

As we left Brazil, saying good-bye to our friends was difficult. Initially, we went to Brazil in 1972 with the Peace Corps. Then we returned to Brazil on August 3, 1977, to begin our missionary service there.

Oh, what a hospitable culture Brazil has. We made many friends in all the cities where we lived–Cuiaba in Central West Brazil, Belem at the mouth of the Amazon, and Vianopolis, not far from Brasilia, the federal capital. In each place we found a church where we made many friends and learned the locations of places where we could buy what we needed.

Upon our return to the US, the Lord helped us find a 2007 Ford Focus with low mileage and a fifth wheel trailer, both at remarkably low prices.

Knowing we were returning to work with Wycliffe Stateside, family and friends have been helping us get set up for living in the U.S. Both of Jean’s sisters had collected linens, kitchen items, and some furniture for us. When our daughter Sarah heard we’d sold our glassware in Brazil, she bought a set of glasses and a crystal pitcher and some other items to help replace some of the items. Others are helping with furniture too.

For more than 20 years, Tom and Carole Knowlton have stored things we have left behind as we journeyed to Brazil in their pole barn’s second floor loft. It has been such a blessing not to worry about where to leave these things.

Blessings during our last days in Brazil:

• Enjoying a farewell party of a barbecue from our church.
• Receiving memoirs from Brazilian friends who sacrificed to give us gifts.
• Being presented a special book with “thanks” from students and parents, both past and present.
• Being recognized for our service in Brazil by our mission colleagues.